


Distance

by splinterfranxx



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Areadbhar - Freeform, Dirty Jokes, Dorks in Love, F/M, Fluff, Kissing, Long-Distance Relationship, Mutual Pining, Neck Kissing, Thank You Marie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:41:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28532349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/splinterfranxx/pseuds/splinterfranxx
Summary: The King of Faerghus and the Archbishop of the Church of Seiros don't deal with each other's absences well.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth, Implied Ingrid Brandl Galatea/Sylvain Jose Gautier - Relationship
Comments: 12
Kudos: 79
Collections: Thank You Marie!





	Distance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MarieBoheme](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarieBoheme/gifts).



> I didn't get this out before 2020 like I wanted, but I started it in 2020 if that counts.
> 
> This fic is a gift for my dear friend Marie, who was the one to get me into this fandom (and even bought the game for me as a present!!) Marie, I sincerely hope you enjoy, and I wish you a very happy new year. Hopefully this year we can gush even more about our shared fandoms.

The ride from Fhirdiad to Garreg Mach is far too long, Dimitri thinks.

For one, the temperature changes drastically during the ride, from the frigid cold north of Blaiddyd territory down through Ailell’s sweltering latitude, finally settling on a more moderate temperature once he arrives at the Monastery. Secondly though, and much more importantly, the journey can’t be completed in one day. Which, for a king who misses his wife _terribly_ each moment they’re apart, can be quite the problem indeed.

And that’s where Dimitri finds himself, camping in the middle of Charon territory, hours from his beloved. His guards are fast asleep, save the one currently actively patrolling. Not that he really needed them, of course -- the only good nights of sleep he ever gets are when he’s curled up with Byleth.

_Distance is a cruel mistress._ Dimitri sighs, staring at the lifeless roof of his tent. It had been two moons since he had seen his queen, as the pair found themselves divided by their individual responsibilities. For him, it was drafting a new plan to assist residents on the Gautier-Sreng border line. For her, it had been welcoming a new class of students at the Monastery, among her other archbishop duties.

They had kept in touch via letters, of course, some of which (most of which) teetered on the risque, but only being able to see his wife for a few days every other moon was starting to wane on the young king. Each time they parted, it was like his other half was ripped from him, and he was left feeling like a shell of a man. “I can’t take much more of this,” Dimitri grumbled.

“Is everything alright, Your Highness?”

“Yes. Actually, I’d like to take a walk, if that’s alright,” Dimitri couldn’t take being within the cramped tent a second longer. 

“Of course, Your Highness. I do request you stay within sight of camp, so that I may better protect you.”

“I don’t intend to wander far.”

Dimitri crawled out of the tent, singular eye adjusting to the harsh pale glare of the moonlight. A fire crackled in Dimitri’s periphery, casting dancing shadows on the ground. Their waltz reminded him of simpler times -- dancing in the Reception Hall of Garreg Mach, laughing joyously among friends and future enemies alike, a chance meeting under the full Ethereal Moon at the Goddess Tower.

“Beloved,” Dimitri lamented, walking over grassy knolls to lay on the side of a hill, “I miss you terribly. Please, come back to me to Fhirdiad, and never leave again.”

_

_It’s cold tonight. Like in Fhirdiad._

“Seteth, I miss him terribly when I’m away,” Byleth confessed to her advisor.

“I know, Archbishop. It is a shame you must be apart from His Highness so often,” Seteth tried his best to console her.

“Seteth, we’re in private. Call me Byleth. And I just wish there was a way we could rule at each other’s sides rather than apart.”

“Unfortunately, that would mean some unprecedented changes. Either he would have to move from Fhirdiad to Garreg Mach, or you would have to do the opposite. I can’t remember a Faerghus royal or archbishop in history that has ruled from anywhere but the capital and the Monastery respectively.”

That last bit gave Byleth pause. _Could I..._ “Seteth, is there anything official stopping me from leaving the Monastery? Any sort of rule or...decree from Sothis?”

“Not to my knowledge. I suppose all that’s keeping you here is precedent. Rhea was never keen on leaving for too long, lest there be some sort of emergency,” Seteth calmly explained.

“So, in that vein, what would need to happen in order for me to return to Fhirdiad with Dimitri?”

“You’d need to announce that you’re moving your residency, but that would be all. I’m starting to think we’re no longer talking in hypotheticals, Byleth. What’s on your mind? Why the sudden interest in leaving Garreg Mach?”

“Well, for starters, I miss him when we’re apart. A few days of being together followed by months of no physical contact is really hard to go through. Secondly, I think we work better when we’re together. He trusts me as much as I trust him, so we’re able to better propose ideas to each other and then think of improvements to them.”

“I agree with that. Watching you both devise battle strategies during the war was almost mesmerizing, if I’ll be frank.”

“And...well...thirdly…” Byleth leaned in, whispering in Seteth’s ear. He gasped loudly.

“Wait. You’re-- When? How?”

“The last time he came to the Monastery. We were...pent up to say the least. And I think you know how,” Byleth accompanied her last statement with a slight wink.

“Yes, I know how,” Seteth lowered his eyes in mock exasperation at the young archbishop, who snickered in reply, “But that’s beside the point. I agree with you, I think you need to be at each other's sides, either permanently or at least for a while.”

“Even if I do end up governing from Fhirdiad, I’ll still come back, Seteth. I’ll want to be here to welcome the new Garreg Mach students each term,” Byleth laughed slightly, finding Seteth’s thinking in absolutes to be amusing.

“If you’re sure, Byleth. I’ll support any decision you make on this matter. Just know Flayn, Manuela, Hanneman, myself...we’re all going to miss you,” Seteth confessed.

“I’ll miss you all too. But, again, it’s not forever! I’ll be back before you’ve even realized I’ve left.”

Within her mind, Byleth had one singular thought. _I can’t wait to tell Dimitri._

_

The rising of the golden sun signaled the beginning of morning in Fodlan. Roosters crowed, welcoming the star’s return to the sky, as merchants and farmers rose from their beds, ready for another day of work.

Dimitri awoke with a smile, warmed from the sun’s rays. The dream that allowed him to sleep so soundly remained fresh in his mind -- the arms of his beloved, whether physically or contained within his mind, were always enough to chase away the ghosts that tormented him so.

The whinnying of a horse alerted him to his men preparing for departure, ready to ride the few hours it would take to reach the Monastery. Areadbhar sat untouched, the soldiers too afraid to even touch such a powerful Hero’s Relic, lest they be consumed by it.

_Byleth will surely be happy to see Areadbhar in such a condition. I wonder why she seems so worried about it in her letters?_

Shaking off that thought, tabling it to ask her later, Dimitri addressed his men, “Good morning. Are we all prepared to depart?”

“In just a moment, Your Grace. We’re just gathering up the provisions, and we’ll be on our way.”

“Ah, allow me to assist you,” Dimitri bent down, picking up a sack.

“Your Highness! You needn’t help, that’s what we’re here for.”

“Think of it as thanks for accompanying me on this journey,” Dimitri smiled again, reaching down to pick up another sack. He fastened them to Tempest’s saddle, who nuzzled him with his nose. “There’s a good horse.”

Hoisting himself on top of Tempest, Dimitri brought him to a canter, following closely behind the lead soldier as they left their camp. _I’m coming, Beloved._

Back behind him, unbeknownst to Dimitri, the two other soldiers that guarded the rear were deep in conversation. “What’s with His Highness today? He’s so...cheerful.”

“Oh, right, you’ve never been on this trip with him.”

“Is there something I’m missing? Last night he looked so upset. Then today he’s just...happy.”

“He always gets like this when we get close to the Monastery. You’ll never see a man more devoted and desperately in love with his wife -- merely the thought of seeing her makes him one of the most upbeat guys in Fodlan.”

_

The stone white walls of Garreg Mach Monastery were always a welcome sight to Dimitri, reminding him of his walk back to the Officer’s Academy back when he was just a student. It had just been a few hours since Byleth had saved his life for the first time, effortlessly dispatching some bandits, and he reminisced on how he had never expected for her to touch his life in the manner she did. He was enamored with her, of course, from their first meeting, but he never expected their lives to entwine so thoroughly. 

_We really do complete each other, don’t we._

And though the sun shone upon him as he awoke just hours earlier, Dimitri’s sun strode through the doors to her balcony which overlooked the path he currently rode on. The beaming smile she shot him instantly warmed him, filled him with pure love and adoration that threatened to burst out of him at any moment.

Her gaze, in stark contrast to Rhea’s muted, calculating one on that day more than six years prior, enveloped Dimitri’s whole world, until he was swimming in a sea of bright green. He needed to hold her, he thought, urging Tempest to a gallop to the stables as Byleth spun on her heel, rushing to greet him at the Monastery’s entrance.

They met in the center of the entrance hall, not quite running, but not quite walking in their quest to hold each other again. Byleth’s world went up, up, up, then rotated, Dimitri having lifted and spun her in his jubilation. She laughed, light and airy, angelic.

“Beloved...I missed you so.”

“Dima, I missed you as well. Not a day went by when I did not think of you.”

Dimitri brought Byleth down to rub his nose against her, his sky blue orb holding every ounce of love for her within them. Capturing her lips, he felt himself melt into her -- Byleth’s kisses were home, her kisses were safety, her kisses reminded him that he would never, ever be alone.

Cupping his cheeks, Byleth returned his kisses with fervor, matching his passion and declaration of love. Though it lasted merely seconds, their dance felt like an eternity to the pair, who were grateful to be in each other's arms again.

_Then_ Dimitri started kissing down Byleth’s neck, and she knew it was time to rein him in a bit.

“Dima, love, I’m very happy to see you too. We’re in public though, don’t forget,” Byleth giggled.

A loud cough from a passing monk was enough to alert Dimitri of all the other Monastery residents present in the room -- some students, some church officials, and some travelling merchants. Sporting a deep red blush, he separated himself from his wife.

“I apologize, Beloved. It seems I got a bit carried away,” Dimitri chuckled.

“We can talk more behind closed doors. Let’s retire to my quarters -- I’d like to catch up with you, considering it has been two moons since I last saw you.”

Once present in Byleth’s room on the third floor, far from prying eyes and ears (what a blessing that was, or they’d keep up the entire Monastery), the duo allowed themselves to relax, completely casting aside their professional appearances in favor of just being husband and wife.

“So, Dima, how has Fhirdiad been? Anything major happen since your last letter?”

“We’re still trying to supply the Sreng border. Sylvain’s been agonizing over this treaty -- Ingrid says he rarely sleeps anymore. I admit I’m worried about him, but the news has been good recently. He should be able to get a good night’s rest soon.”

“I’m sure Ingrid’s happy about that,” Byleth laughed.

“I’m sure she is too. I certainly never expected it when we were children, but she cares for Sylvain to an almost awe-inspiring degree. So, how has the Monastery been?”

“Everything’s gone very smoothly. The Blue Lions won this year’s mock battle, so I believe that brings our winning streak to two. Yuri has really proven an effective teacher. Other than that, business as usual.”

“You’re amazing, Byleth. It’s hard to believe we were at war just a year ago. Now, it seems like everything’s gone back to as it should be.”

This was her chance. “Actually, Dima, there’s something big I’ve been thinking about changing. I thought I would bring it up with you first,” Byleth began.

“What is it, Beloved?”

“You see...when you’re gone, I miss you so much. I almost can’t bear to part with you again for who knows how many moons. I talked it over with Seteth -- I’d like to rule by your side in Fhirdiad, if you’ll have me,” Byleth smiled softly, almost shyly, as she addressed her husband.

Dimitri’s eyes widened in elation. _She had wanted this as well?_ “Of course, Beloved! I would be honored to have you in Fhirdiad with me. To be perfectly honest, I was going to ask you to return with me as well. I also don’t think I could survive parting from you for so long yet again,” Dimitri confessed.

“Now we don’t even have to think about that reality. And, actually, there’s one more reason I wanted us to live together from now on…”

Byleth leaned in to whisper into Dimitri’s ear.

This time, Dimitri couldn’t contain his elation, jumping to his feet. His eye sparkled in excitement and joy. “You’re pregnant!”

_

_“As leaders of the church and state respectively, at times they engaged in heated debate. Even still, when enjoying a long horse ride or a quiet evening, they were not as the world saw them, but rather two adoring spouses, desperately in love.”_

_“They remained as such for the rest of their days.”_


End file.
